A Summer Affair

A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand

What was this book about?

Claire Danner Crispin has a loving (although dictoral) husband, loving children, and a teenage love who is now world famous. She is an artist who has a wonderful career creating art that is world renowned. And yet she feels like something is missing.

When multimillionaire Lockhard Dixon asks her to be the chair of the annual benefit his charity runs she can’t say no – even though she knows she should. She is instantly attracted to him. She has a fear of him – as she is somehow connected to his wife’s instability after a drunk driving accident. She does it no matter what.

What follows is an affair that both seem addicted to – and cannot stop. But what does it mean for their futures – independently or together. Add to that the complication of creating an event for the wealthy and a visit from Claire’s rocker teenage love and she really must figure out what is most important in her life.

What did you think about the book?

I liked Claire and the book. You can’t help but identify with her feelings. Her husband isn’t bad – just not great. Her life is good but she is missing things since she quit her art. She feels guilt for things that are beyond her control. And somehow all of this seems to be relegated to the background when she meets Lock. Her attraction takes all the pain out of so many things.. Whether it should or not.

What genre would you consider this?
Summer Read

Overall:

Spoilers: The only thing that stopped it from getting 4 stars was the ending. It wasn’t that it was bad – it just wasn’t sufficient. I think it is hard for me to see people just floating back together after something like this happens. The story of the telling, the working it out (or not) is an important piece. I also believe it isn’t right to go back to a relationship with this secret still between you. Someday, somehow this secret will haunt you.

Love the One You’re With

Love the One You’re With by Emily Giffin

What was this book about?

Ellen and Andy have the perfect relationship. She has known his family since college when she met her best friend and roommate – his sister. They fell into love and friendship and seem to moving forward. On the surface it looks like the perfect relationship.

Then one random day Ellen runs into an old flame - Leo. Their relationship was a roller coaster and has been over for years. In fact Ellen was the one that called it off. Yet meeting Leo and having the sparks fly again make her wonder if the comfortable love she has now means she is missing out on the “real” love of her life.

What did you like/dislike about the book?

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Almost everyone has at least one relationship that they were in and ended in some fashion or another. It can be hard to look past the ups and downs of your own “real” relationship and compare it to this unknown other relationship. I am a firm believer that relationships end for a reason. But over time it is hard to make yourself remember all the bad times and not just the good times. You almost gloss over those things in an effort to figure out if you are truly in the place that you should be.

This book explores those possibilities – for Ellen. She is the only one that can figure out who she is meant to be with. And realizing that no relationship is perfect – but if you can say that you love someone with all your heart – then any sort of imperfection is worth it.


What genre would you consider this?

Overall:

Mrs. Perfect

Mrs. Perfect by Jane Porter

What was this book about?

Taylor Young grew up and moved on with her life. And it has turned into quite the life. She has a house many women drool over. She has a husband that loves her and she can’t help but be attracted to. She has three beautiful daughters.

One day she wakes up and realizes she doesn’t have everything she thought she did. Her husband is distant and keeping secrets that can affect the whole family. These aren’t the types of secrets that you can keep behind closed doors forever.

Taylor must work the drama with her family and her friends. She has to figure out what she is truly capable of – what she is willing to do with her life. And through it all she becomes a better person.

What did you like/dislike about the book?

I very much enjoyed this life. It seems like Taylor’s problem is one that many women and many relationships face. It is much easier to concentrate on the things that affect you and let your partner take care of things like finances, the children, or something. But long term living in a bubble like that can take it’s toll on you.

This book is neither preachy nor fluffy. It has a good lesson for everyone and it tells a great story.

Everybody dreams of having a life like Taylor’s but in the end no life is perfect. Behind closed doors something is happening to everyone. Sometimes hard work is the best reward, because it makes you evaluate what you have and cherish the effort it takes to have it.

What genre would you consider this?
Fiction

Overall:

If I was to nominate this book for an award it would be: Best Summer Read!

The Senator’s Wife

The Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller

What was this book about?

Delia Naughton is in her 70’s and lives alone. She spent most of her life married to a senator who wanted nothing more then to run around on her. When a couple moves next door to her she cannot help being friends with them. Meri is a woman who knows her husband well, but is not getting what she wants from him. When she becomes pregnant she begins to visit Delia’s house and learn more about her. She wants Delia to be her friend, fit in her life. The relationships on both sides are complicated but they all grow from the circumstances that surround them.

What did you like/dislike about the book?

At some point I really thought that Delia and Meri were going to be friends. But they just aren’t. They are too different of people. Meri has major issues both with her self and her idea of what motherhood should or should not be. She can’t seem to get past that and that is damaging to relationships. Meanwhile Delia has lived a somewhat secret life with her adulterer husband – and she can’t seem to let him go.

What genre would you consider this?
Fiction

Overall: B-, Parts I really enjoyed but other parts were just odd..

The Spare Wife

The Spare Wife by Alex Witchel

What was this book about?
Society is all about who you know and less about what is truly going on with the relationships. This book follows several society women as they find out the secrets about what is going on behind closed doors. Of course they can never show it.

Babette, an aspiring journalist, just wants to make her place in this society. She will do anything to get the connections she needs. Ponce, is a society widow, who has made her place by being generous and kind to everyone. She is both the husbands best friend and the wife’s. No one is threatened by her. But if they knew her big secret, that she was having an affair with a married man – they could turn on her. Shawsie has a gorgeous husband, a great job, and her own place in society. But even she knows it isn’t as good as it looks. Her husband is a classic cheater who doesn’t even try to cover it up. All she wants in life is a baby and she can’t seem to even have that.

Can these society women keep their secrets?

What was your favorite part about this book?

It was interesting to have an inner look at how you know society acts.

What was your least favorite part about this book?

Generally it was about secrets – but none of the secrets were really secrets to the reader. Figuring out that the world is manipulative and evil wasn’t something I was all that excited about.

What genre would you consider this?
Fiction

Overall: C